Vacuum packing machine

ABSTRACT

A vacuum packing machine includes: a lower housing; an upper housing hinge-coupled with the lower housing to be rotationally opened and closed; a heating wire part for vacuum-packing mounted at an end of an upper side of the lower housing to carry out vacuum-packing; a pressing part mounted at a position where it coincides with the heating wire part at the end of the upper face of the upper housing; a gas intake tube mounted within the heating wire part inside the lower housing and inhaling and discharging gas; a tube driving part for progressing and reversing the gas intake tube; a suction pump mounted inside the lower housing and connected with the gas intake tube to inhale gas; a lower sealing member located on the upper side of the lower housing and mounted within the heating wire part; and a control unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vacuum packing machine, and, more particularly, to a vacuum packing machine which can carry out vacuum-packing using general wrapping paper on which embossed patterns or flow channel patterns are not formed.

2. Background Art

In general, people vacuum-pack and store food ingredients in order to manage the food ingredients in a sanitary way or extend a storage period of the food ingredients. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, in a state where a vacuum intake device 3 bites an inlet of a vacuum packing bag 1, the vacuum intake device 3 inhales and discharges gas of the inside of the vacuum packing bag 1. In the above state, a heating wire 4 and a pressing part 5 come into contact with an end portion of the vacuum packing bag 1, and then, vacuum packing is carried out in such a way as to apply heat and pressure to the vacuum packing bag 1 to seal the vacuum packing bag 1. As shown in FIG. 1, because the vacuum packing bag 1 is completely tight on the contents 2 and the inside gases are all discharged out, the vacuum intake device 3 can enlarge freshness.

In this instance, there is a problem that it is difficult to inhale the gases inside the bag when the parts of the vacuum wrapping bag 1 which gets bitten by the vacuum intake device 3 get in contact with each other. Therefore, Korean Patent Nos. 10-2002-39131 and 10-2002-68468 disclose technology for manufacturing vacuum packing bags which make vacuum inhalation easy.

However, to form fine flow channel patterns on the surface of a film which is used to make vacuum packing bags is very difficult work, and may damage the surface of the film so as to ruin the original purpose of the vacuum packing film. Therefore, development of a vacuum packing machine which can use a general film intactly as a vacuum packing bag is in desperate need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior arts, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum packing machine which has a structure that a gas intake tube for vacuum inhalation penetrates into the inside of a vacuum packing bag, thereby carrying out vacuum-packing using general wrapping paper on which embossed patterns or flow channel patterns are not formed.

To accomplish the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a vacuum packing machine including: a lower housing; an upper housing which is hinge-coupled with the lower housing to be rotationally opened and closed; a heating wire part for vacuum-packing which is mounted at an end of an upper side of the lower housing to carry out vacuum-packing by applying heat to a vacuum packing bag; a pressing part which is mounted at a position where it coincides with the heating wire part at the end of the upper face of the upper housing, and which presses the vacuum packing bag in the direction of the heating wire part; a gas intake tube which is mounted within the heating wire part inside the lower housing and inhales and discharges gas after passing the heating wire part and going into the inside of the vacuum packing bag; a tube driving part for progressing and reversing the gas intake tube; a suction pump which is mounted inside the lower housing and connected with the gas intake tube to inhale gas; a lower sealing member which is located on the upper side of the lower housing and mounted within the heating wire part to press and seal an inlet of the vacuum packing bag in a state where the gas intake tube is interposed; an upper sealing member which is located on the lower side of the upper housing and mounted at a position where it coincides with the lower sealing member to press and seal the inlet of the vacuum packing bag in the state where the gas intake tube is interposed; and a control unit which moves the position of the gas intake tube to a gas inhalation position and a sealing position and controls the tube driving part, the suction pump and the heating wire part to inhale and discharge the inside gas of the vacuum packing bag so that the vacuum packing bag is vacuum-packed.

In the present invention, the vacuum packing bag has a flat surface on which embossed patterns or flow channel patterns are not formed.

Moreover, the gas intake tube has a streamlined cross section.

Furthermore, the gas intake tube has a frictional force falling layer formed on the surface thereof.

Additionally, the tube driving part includes: a moving guide for guiding a horizontal moving route of the gas intake tube; a driving plate spring connected and mounted to an end of the moving guide to progress and reverse the gas intake tube along the moving guide; and a driving motor on which the driving plate spring is wound and which rotates the driving plate spring to progress and reverse the gas intake tube.

In addition, the pressing part is elastically connect in the inward direction of the upper housing to move vertically.

Moreover, the control unit includes: a first sensor mounted at an end of the plate spring side of the moving guide to sense the shortest movement position of the gas intake tube; a second sensor mounted at an outer end of the moving guide to sense the longest movement position of the gas intake tube; and a microprocessor for controlling the driving motor, the suction pump and the heating wire part based on information sensed by the first and second sensors.

Furthermore, the control unit further includes a position control part for controlling front and rear operation positions of the gas intake tube.

Additionally, the vacuum packing machine further includes a tightening part which is mounted at the upper housing and the lower housing in order to closely press the upper sealing member and the lower sealing member.

Accordingly, the vacuum packing machine according to the present invention can intactly use general wrapping film on which embossed patterns or flow channel patterns are not formed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a vacuum packing method for vacuum-packing a general vacuum packing bag;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a structure of a vacuum packing machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a gas intake tube according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the gas intake tube and a tube driving part according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the gas intake tube and the tube driving part according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state where the gas intake tube moves forward; and

FIGS. 7 to 10 are views showing the process of carrying out vacuum-packing using the vacuum packing machine according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, reference will be now made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, a vacuum packing machine 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a lower housing 110, an upper housing 120, a heating wire part 130 for vacuum packing, a pressing part 140, a gas intake tube 150, a tube driving part 160, a suction pump (not shown), a lower sealing member 170, an upper sealing member 180 and a control unit (not shown).

First, as shown in FIG. 2, the lower housing 110 is generally in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and has a space in which other components can be installed. Particularly, the lower housing 110 includes a tube mounting part 112 which upwardly protrudes above other parts of the lower housing 110 so that the gas intake tube 150 and the tube driving part 160 can be mounted and operated therein.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper housing 120 pairs up with the lower housing 110, is generally in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and has a space in which other components can be installed. Particularly, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper housing 120 is joined with the lower housing 110 by a hinge 122 so as to be rotationally opened and closed.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, in the process that a vacuum packing bag 1 is loaded or unloaded, the upper housing 120 keeps an upwardly opened state, and as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in the process of forming a vacuum state or in the process of sealing the bag, the upper housing 120 is closed and keeps a state that the upper housing 120 gets in close contact with the lower housing 110.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the heating wire part 130 for vacuum-packing is mounted at an end of the front side of an upper face of the lower housing 110 in a line form and carries out vacuum-packing by applying heat to the vacuum packing bag 1. That is, the heating wire part 130 for vacuum-packing applies heat in a state that the inside gas of the vacuum packing bag 1 is entirely inhaled and discharged out and the upper and lower sides of the bag get in close contact with each other, so that the upper and lower sides of the bag are partially melted and adhered to each other to seal the inside of the bag.

In this instance, as shown in FIG. 9, the pressing part 140 presses the vacuum packing bag 1 in the direction of the heating wire part 130 for vacuum-packing in order to carry out perfect sealing work. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the pressing part 140 is mounted at a position where it coincides with the heating wire part 130 for vacuum-packing at the end of the upper face of the upper housing 120, and presses the vacuum packing bag 1 in the direction of the heating wire part 130 for vacuum-packing.

Moreover, it is preferable that the pressing part 140 in this embodiment be elastically joined in the inward direction of the upper housing 120 to move vertically. As shown in FIG. 8, the front end of the gas intake tube 150 moves forward while pushing the pressing part 140 upwardly while the gas intake tube 150 moves forward in order to go into the inside of the vacuum packing bag 1. In this instance, when the pressing part 140 is elastically joined to move upwardly, the pressing part 140 is easily pushed in the upward direction by the gas intake tube 150 and does not disturb a forward operation of the gas intake tube 150.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the gas intake tube 150 is mounted within the heating wire part 130 for vacuum-packing inside the lower housing 110, and inhales and discharges gas after passing the heating wire part 130 for vacuum-packing and going into the inside of the vacuum packing bag 1 as shown in FIG. 8. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the gas intake tube 150 moves forward after passing the heating wire part 130, and goes into the vacuum packing bag 1. The gas intake tube 150 starts gas inhaling work in the state where it penetrates into the vacuum packing bag 1. In this instance, the front end of the gas intake tube 15 moves forward at a distance not to get in contact with the contents 2 contained inside the bag 1, and as shown in FIG. 8, the inlet of the vacuum packing bag 1 is pressed by the lower and upper sealing members 170 and 180 to keep the sealed state, so that outside air cannot flow into the bag 1.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, sealing work is carried out in the state where the gas intake tube 150 which is fit between the upper side and the lower side of the vacuum packing bag 1 is pressed by the lower and upper sealing members 170 and 180. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, preferably, the gas intake tube 150 is formed in a streamlined shape with a very thin cross section form in order not to form a gap in the state where the gas intake tube 150 is pressed by the sealing members 170 and 180. Additionally, the gas intake tube 150 has a plurality of intake holes 152.

In addition, it is preferable that the gas intake tube 150 further include a frictional force falling layer 154. As shown in FIG. 8, the gas intake tube 150 moves backward in a state where it completely comes into contact with the vacuum packing bag 1. In this instance, if a frictional force between the vacuum packing bag 1 and the gas intake tube 150 is big, it prevents smooth sliding. Therefore, the frictional force falling layer 154, such as ceramic, for reducing the frictional force is coated on the surface of the gas intake tube 150 in order to make the gas intake tube 150 slide smoothly.

In the meantime, as described above, the tube driving part 160 is mounted within the tube mounting part 112 inside the lower housing 110 in order to progress and reverse the gas intake tube 150. For this, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tube driving part 160 includes a moving guide 162, a driving plate spring 164, and a driving motor 166.

First, as shown in FIG. 4, the moving guide 162 is to guide a horizontal moving route of the gas intake tube 150. Therefore, the moving guide 162 is formed in a straight bar shape to guide forward and backward movement and straight movement directions of the gas intake tube 150, has a length similar with the gas intake tube 150, and is fixed and mounted on the lower housing 110.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the driving plate spring 164 is connected and mounted to an end of the moving guide 162 and progresses and reverses the gas intake tube 150 along the moving guide 162 while being wound or unwound by the driving motor 166. In this embodiment, the vacuum packing machine can reduce the entire size and length of the tube driving part 160 without using gears because using the driving plate spring 164 like the above.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the driving motor 166 rotationally drives the driving plate spring 164 which is wound and mounted on the driving motor 166 so as to provide a driving force to progress and reverse the gas intake tube 150 while winding or unwinding the driving plate spring 164.

Next, the suction pump is mounted inside the lower housing 110, is connected with the gas intake tube 150 to inhale gas. The suction pump inhales and discharges the inside gas of the vacuum packing bag 1 by the suction pump in order to make a vacuum state.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the lower sealing member 170 on the upper side of the lower housing 110 is mounted within the heating wire part 130 for vacuum-packing, and as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, presses and seals the inlet of the vacuum packing bag 1 in the state where the gas intake tube 150 is interposed. Therefore, the lower sealing member 170 is in a flat sponge type and presses the lower side of the vacuum packing bag 1.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper sealing member 180 on the lower side of the upper housing 120 is mounted at a position that the lower sealing member 170 coincides with the upper sealing member 180, and as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, presses and seals the inlet of the vacuum packing bag 1 in the state where the gas intake tube 150 is interposed. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, preferably, the upper sealing member 180 has a groove of the same shape as the gas intake tube at a portion which comes into close contact with the gas intake tube 150 in order to effectively press the vacuum packing bag 1 and the gas intake tube 150.

Next, the control unit 190 moves the gas intake tube 150 to a position for gas inhalation and sealing and controls the tube driving part 160, the suction pump and the heating wire part 130 for vacuum-packing in order that the inside gas of the vacuum packing bag 1 is inhaled and discharged out and the vacuum packing bag 1 is vacuum-packed at the moved position. That is, the control unit 190 properly controls the components of the vacuum packing machine 110 according to the present invention so that the vacuum packing process can go along smoothly.

For this, the control unit 190 includes a first sensor 192, a second sensor 194 and a microprocessor (not shown). As shown in FIG. 4, the first sensor 192 is mounted at an end of the plate spring side of the moving guide 162 to sense the shortest movement position of the gas intake tube 150. Here, the shortest movement position’ means a completely backward state of the gas intake tube 150, and the first sensor 192 is mounted at the position to sense whether the rear end of the gas intake tube 150 moved to the position or not.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the second sensor 194 is mounted at an outer end of the moving guide 162 to sense the longest movement position of the gas intake tube 150. Here, the ‘longest movement position’ means a completely forward state of the rear end of the gas intake tube 150, and the second sensor 194 is mounted at the position to sense the movement position of the gas intake tube 150.

Next, the microprocessor is to control the driving motor 166, the suction pump and the heating wire part 130 for vacuum-packing based on information sensed by the first and second sensors 192 and 194, has control programs for controlling the above-mentioned components to operate the component in timely manners.

Preferably, the control unit 190 further includes a position control part (not shown) for individually controlling front and rear operation positions of the gas intake tube 150. The position control part is mounted on the upper side of the upper housing 120 in the form of a button in order to move the gas intake tube 150 to an appropriate position while checking the front and rear operation positions of the gas intake tube 150 with naked eyes.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, it is preferable that the vacuum packing machine 100 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention further include a tightening part 102. The tightening part 102 is to tighten the upper housing 120 to be completely tight on the lower housing 110, and may have various structures. For instance, as shown in FIG. 2, the tightening part 102 may include: a tightening latch 103 mounted at the lower side of the upper housing 120; and a retaining groove 104 formed at the corresponding position of the lower housing 110. The tightening latch 103 and the retaining groove 104 are coupled with each other so as to closely press the upper sealing member 180 and the lower sealing member 170. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A vacuum packing machine comprising: a lower housing; an upper housing which is hinge-coupled with the lower housing to be rotationally opened and closed; a heating wire part for vacuum-packing which is mounted at an end of an upper side of the lower housing to carry out vacuum-packing by applying heat to a vacuum packing bag; a pressing part which is mounted at a position where it coincides with the heating wire part at the end of the upper face of the upper housing, and which presses the vacuum packing bag in the direction of the heating wire part; a gas intake tube which is mounted within the heating wire part inside the lower housing and inhales and discharges gas after passing the heating wire part and going into the inside of the vacuum packing bag; a tube driving part for progressing and reversing the gas intake tube; a suction pump which is mounted inside the lower housing and connected with the gas intake tube to inhale gas; a lower sealing member which is located on the upper side of the lower housing and mounted within the heating wire part to press and seal an inlet of the vacuum packing bag in a state where the gas intake tube is interposed; an upper sealing member which is located on the lower side of the upper housing and mounted at a position where it coincides with the lower sealing member to press and seal the inlet of the vacuum packing bag in the state where the gas intake tube is interposed; and a control unit which moves the position of the gas intake tube to a gas inhalation position and a sealing position and controls the tube driving part, the suction pump and the heating wire part to inhale and discharge the inside gas of the vacuum packing bag so that the vacuum packing bag is vacuum-packed.
 2. The vacuum packing machine according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum packing bag has a flat surface.
 3. The vacuum packing machine according to claim 2, wherein the gas intake tube has a streamlined cross section.
 4. The vacuum packing machine according to claim 2, wherein the gas intake tube has a frictional force falling layer formed on the surface thereof.
 5. The vacuum packing machine according to claim 1, wherein the tube driving part comprises: a moving guide for guiding a horizontal moving route of the gas intake tube; a driving plate spring connected and mounted to an end of the moving guide to progress and reverse the gas intake tube along the moving guide; and a driving motor on which the driving plate spring is wound and which rotates the driving plate spring to progress and reverse the gas intake tube.
 6. The vacuum packing machine according to claim 1, wherein the pressing part is elastically connect in the inward direction of the upper housing to move vertically.
 7. The vacuum packing machine according to claim 5, wherein the control unit comprises: a first sensor mounted at an end of the plate spring side of the moving guide to sense the shortest movement position of the gas intake tube; a second sensor mounted at an outer end of the moving guide to sense the longest movement position of the gas intake tube; and a microprocessor for controlling the driving motor, the suction pump and the heating wire part based on information sensed by the first and second sensors.
 8. The vacuum packing machine according to claim 7, wherein the control unit further comprises a position control part for controlling front and rear operation positions of the gas intake tube.
 9. The vacuum packing machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a tightening part which is mounted at the upper housing and the lower housing in order to closely press the upper sealing member and the lower sealing member. 